1 - We have a Minn Kota Trolling motor with 26 pound thrust. We cant get it to mount on the back of the boat and it seems like it would provide a lot of drag if we could. How can you mount a small motor and have it out of the way? Could you somehow mount it on either the port or starboard bow? Are you better off buying a set of ors? If so how in the heck can you keep the boat facing into the wind while you raise your sails without a motor? Suggestions and mounting bracket direction would be appreciated.It is hard to recommend anything here as you don't ell us WHY it will not fit on your stern. An outboard bracket on the stern of a 15 foot boat makes little sense but you might have to mount a thick wood pad onto your stern if the screws on the motor won't tighten down enough to hold the motor on your stern. Use Teak or seal a piece of marine playwood with epoxy (including the bolt holes) if you choose to do this. Don't worry about drag for a motor as small as this. You can also just buy a couple of Canoe paddles for a boat this size instead! (you'd better have them anyway for when the engine fails and there's no wind!)

2 - We need to paint the inside and outside of the fiberglass boat - at least we think - is that something that you do to a 30 year old fiberglass boat that has no paint on the inside of the boat?Ditto the 2 part epoxy recommendation if you can afford $100 bucks for a quart. Cheaper and not as good but serviceable is regular PolyUrethane marine paint which goes for about $30 bucks a quart.

As you can see we have a million questions and need some guidance. We are Engineers and thus can figure out some things and have the time to do it especially during the week and we want to learn.

Is there a set of books that are for people like us?

There are a million books for people like you but I think the places to start are the "Sailing for Dummies" book which covers all the basics and Gary Jobsen's "Sailing Fundamentals" which is more comprehensive and has great illustrations. You are about to have a ton of fun! Enjoy!!